Metro
Police barred From Arbitrary Arrests, Detention Of Youths, Collection, Checking Of Phones
The police authorities warned that henceforth any police personnel caught indulging in the prohibited acts would be punished including the Commissioner of Police of the command and their supervisors.
The Nigerian Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered an immediate halt to unnecessary arrests and detention of youths across the country.
The IGP, who is currently under fire over incessant arbitrary arrests, detentions and human rights violations, also directed that all arbitrary collection and checking of phones be stopped immediately.
The police authorities warned that henceforth any police personnel caught indulging in the prohibited acts would be punished including the Commissioner of Police of the command and their supervisors.
The warning is contained in a police wireless message dated December 13, 2024 and addressed to all the State Commands which was obtained by PidomNigeria.
In the letter signed by the Department of Operations for the Force Headquarters, the police hierarchy stated that such impunity and unlawful attitudes are portraying the Nigeria Police Force in bad light.
According to the message, all these infractions culminated to the #EndSARS protest which led to the destruction of properties and killing in the past.
The message with DTO: 111996/ and Ref: CB:0900/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.TIO/157 was titled: Order and directives: Arbitrary Arrest and Detention.
It partly read: “Arbitrary Arrest X Detention X NIGPOL DCPS ABUJA DIRECTS X HENCEFORTH X THERE SHOULD BE NO UNNECESSARY ARREST AND DETENTION OF YOUTHS X COLLECTING OF PHONES X CHECKING OF PHONES X AT CHECKING POINTS X THESE SHOULD STOP X THIS ATTITUDE IS Portraying THE Nigeria POLICE FORCE IN BAD IMAGE X ALL THESE CULMINATED TO END-SARS PROTEST X DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTIES X KILLING IN THE PAST X NIGPOL DOPS DIRECTS YOU DESIST FROM SUCH UNLAWFUL ACTS X ANYONE CAUGHT WILL BE DISCIPLINE ALONG WITH COMMANDS COMPOLS/SUPERVISORS AS INGENPOL WILL DEPLOY MONITORING UNITS FOR Enforcement OF THIS DIRECTIVES X TREAT AS VERY IMPORTANT.”
SaharaReporters recently reported that human rights activist and convener of #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, warned that the Inspector-General of Police was illegally occupying the seat of IGP and that his mission was to destroy the Nigerian police.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), said Egbetokun had deliberately been engaging in egregious violations of human rights since he was appointed and his tenure illegally extended by President Bola Tinubu.
The former presidential candidate, in a post on his social media handle, had said that the IGP must be stopped before he completely destroyed the Nigerian police.
Sowore wrote, “This illegal IG of @PoliceNG, Kayode Egbetokun, has engaged in egregious violations of human rights since @officialABAT appointed him and illegally extended his tenure.
“He was the person who ordered the murders of #EndBadGovernance protesters, he orchestrated the prosecution of minors for treason, he has assisted powerful elites in arresting and jailing their critics, including @delefarotimi whom he abducted from Lagos to Ekiti on behalf of Chief Afe Babalola, SAN.
“Speed Darlington, a musician is languishing in detention because he had a beef with @burnaboy, @IjeleSpeaks2 has spent months in prison now because IGP Egbetokun connived with Evang.
“Chukwuebuka Obi to silence him, and now this lady, Olamide, had to be flown to Abuja because she made Facebook posts about the IGP and @Princemoye1, who’s had personal issues with her in Ogun State.
“IGP Kayode Egbetokun will destroy the Nigeria Police if we don’t act now.”
SaharaReporters also reported that the Nigeria Police Force on Saturday transferred female activist Abiodun Olamide Thomas, who was “abducted” from her home in Lagos State by lawless police personnel to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja.
A human rights advocacy organisation, the Take-It-Back Movement (TIB), which made this known in a post on its social media handle said that Thomas was transported by illegally constituted Nigeria Police Force Courier Service to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport en-route Abuja.
The organisation had said that the activist was moved to Abuja to face an illegal trial “sponsored by President Bola Tinubu through FPRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi and the IGP.”
Five soldiers and six terrorists died in a firefight between troops of the Nigerian Army and members of the Lakurawa terrorists in the Gudu LGA of Sokoto state.
Abubakar Abdullahi, the coordinator of the joint media coordination centre for operation Fansan Yamma, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the operation was carried out by the troops of the defence headquarters special operations brigade.
“On Jan 11, the troops of defence headquarters special operations brigade conducted a coordinated offensive operation against Lakurawa terrorists and made contact in Gudu local government area of Sokoto state,” the statement reads.
“Despite this success, the operation came at a heavy cost, as five gallant soldiers tragically lost their lives in the line of duty.”
Abdullahi added that the troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, 160 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and a box of 12.7mm ammunition during the operation.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and observant in their communities while advising them to report any suspicious activity to security agencies.
“Public cooperation is crucial for protecting lives and maintaining peace in our communities,” he added.
One year after the devastating explosion in the Bodija area of Ibadan, affected residents are still awaiting the compensation they were promised. During an interdenominational service held to mark the anniversary of the tragedy, Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose, President of the Bodija Estate Residents’ Association (BERA), expressed the community’s ongoing struggles, with many families still displaced and properties left in ruins.
Pastor Bamgbose highlighted that several homes remain uninhabitable, overgrown with weeds and abandoned. The service, which took place at the Bodija Estate Baptist Church, was organized by BERA in partnership with the Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group (DOVG) to honor the five residents who lost their lives in the explosion.
The deceased were identified as Mr. Fimihan Fagbemi, Mr. Toluwalase Kehinde, Mr. Ladipo Azeez Oyebamiji, Mrs. Agnus Bolanle Badmus, and Mr. Bolu Adebiyi. The explosion also left over 70 people injured and caused severe damage to more than 200 houses, leaving a permanent scar on the community.
Pastor Bamgbose called for justice for the victims and more support from authorities. He urged residents to use the tragedy as a catalyst to foster unity and resilience within the community.
Gunmen have shot dead a final-year student of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osura, in the early hours of Wednesday in the Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.
The victim, identified as Prince, a Computer Science student awaiting mobilisation for the compulsory National Youth Service Corps, was killed in front of his girlfriend in his room along Abuja Street, Ikot Osurua community.
A source within the polytechnic community, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the gunmen gained entry into the compound around 1 am and moved directly to the victim’s room, where they shot him in the stomach.
The source said the victim’s girlfriend immediately raised the alarm, drawing the attention of neighbours who rushed to the scene.
The victim was swiftly taken to a hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival.
“The gunmen didn’t steal anything or rob anyone in the compound. They just shot him and escaped,” the source revealed.
The source further recalled seeing the victim just hours before the attack.
He added, “I met him yesterday around 4 pm with his girlfriend. They were both wearing facemasks, and we joked about their appearance. He was a popular figure in the neighbourhood and an active member of his church’s choral group. We are all in shock over his death.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Timfon John, confirmed the incident but stated that the attack might be linked to both robbery and cult activities in the area.
“Information we have indicates that there was a robbery and cult-related operation in the vicinity. The assailants invaded the area and shot the student during the robbery. An investigation is ongoing,” John said.
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